Dominique de Villepin, a former French prime minister, has raised concerns about the ability to maintain public order in the country as student protests continue. He described the current situation as involving "a problem with maintaining order," pointing to incidents where police officers have been targeted and attacked with acid jets. Since the student protests began on September 17, 170 students and 65 members of the national education staff have been injured, according to available reports. De Villepin criticized the government for referring to the blocking of high schools as "urban violence," arguing that this framing fails to address the real issues in the education system. He called for the government to provide "concrete and material responses" to the challenges faced by high schools. He urged law enforcement to take "targeted and proportionate" actions, emphasizing the need to prioritize the safety of students and staff. He also cautioned against the use of flash-ball and tear gas, stating that "violence is never legitimate." In response to a statement by the mayor of Saint-Denis, Bally Bagayoko, who suggested that "violence can be legitimate," de Villepin firmly disagreed. He stated that the government is responsible for the current malfunctions in the country and stressed the need to regain control of the situation. He criticized the government's claim that the protest movement is "held hostage by far-left groups," arguing instead for open dialogue and engagement with all parties involved in the protests. The Minister of National Education, Édouard Geffray, confirmed that between 400 and 500 educational institutions will be fully or "partially" closed on Monday due to the ongoing protests. Student organizations have called for the continuation of their mobilization, with plans for new blockades on Tuesday, October 6, in the absence of what they describe as "concrete measures" to address their demands.